Chemicals, garbage, and waste from power and manufacturing plants can often end up in Earth's oceans.

Question

polluted ocean water
Image Courtesy of NOAA
A scientist is studying the impact of a new manufacturing plant on the local ocean ecosystem. How could she best monitor the impact of the manufacturing plant on populations in this ecosystem?
A.
She could ask the manufacturing plant to treat all of the waste products that they are dumping into the marine ecosystem.
B.
She could collect data on the amount of product made by the manufacturing plant and how much the product sells for in local cities.
C.
She could add a chemical to the water to react with the waste products that the manufacturing plant is dumping into the marine ecosystem.
D.
She could perform several wildlife surveys over time to observe any changes in the number and type of marine organisms in the ecosystem.

Answer 1

The best option for the scientist to monitor the impact of the manufacturing plant on populations in the local ocean ecosystem is:

D. She could perform several wildlife surveys over time to observe any changes in the number and type of marine organisms in the ecosystem.

This approach allows the scientist to gather empirical data on populations of marine organisms and how they may be affected by the presence of the manufacturing plant, thus providing a clear picture of ecological impacts over time.